Nature and Scope of Functions

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The Department of Corrections administers the New Zealand corrections system to improve public safety.

The Department of Corrections:

  • manages offenders on community-based sentences and orders
  • manages prisoners on remand and prisoners serving custodial sentences
  • provides rehabilitation programmes to help offenders address and resolve the causes of their offending
  • provides reintegrative programmes and services to help offenders reintegrate back into society
  • manages a number of internal services, employment and training activities, including the Release to Work programme that assists offenders to gain skilled work on release
  • provides courts with detailed reports and information on offenders to assist judges in making sentencing decisions
  • provides administrative services to the New Zealand Parole Board, as well as information to help them decide whether prisoners should be released, when and under what conditions
  • takes enforcement action when offenders serving a sentence or order in the community do not comply with the conditions of that sentence or order
  • notifies victims of crime, who are referred by the New Zealand Police, of specific events listed in the Victims Rights Act 2002.
    Sections 5 and 6 of the Corrections Act 2004 set out in more detail the purpose of the corrections system and principles under which the Department must operate.